Peg-board game apparatus

ABSTRACT

Game apparatus comprising a board having a rectangular configuration with rows of uniformly spaced holes located at the intersection of lines forming a pattern of squares. The game is played by each player using a plurality of pieces, each piece consisting of two pegs fitting in the holes of the board and joined by a flexible inextensible link. The flexible link limits the ambit of movement of one peg relative to the other to the distance between alternate holes on a diagonal line. At the start of the game each player&#39;&#39;s pieces are assembled in the first two rows of holes along opposite edges of the board. The objective of the game is for a player to move his pieces, one peg at a time across the board and to reassemble them similarly to the starting arrangement in the two rows of holes adjacent the opposite edge of the board.

United States Patent Flack [451 Sept. 26, 1972 [54] PEG-BOARD GAME APPARATUS 1,045,456 6/l9 53 France ..273/ 131 BA 72 l nt Walte Flack, P.O. B 331, M I 1 me or tins i Ohio at Primary Examiner-Delbert B. Lowe Attorney-Snell, Blenko & Ziesenheim [22] Filed: March 18, 1971 21 Appl. No.: 125,768 [571 ABSTRACT 3 Game apparatus comprising a board having a rectan- 52 us. Cl ..273/131 BA, 273/132 273/136 0 Eula nfigurati0n with "nifmmly Spaced 273/137 AB '273/l37 2 holes located at the intersection of lines forming a pat- 51 rm. Cl. .....A63f3/00 squares The game is Played by each Player 58 Field of Search .273/130, 131, 132,134, 135, using a'plurality Pieces, each Piee cnisting 273/136 two pegs fitting m the holes of the board and oined by a flexible inextensible link. The flexible link limits the [56] References Cited ambit of movement of one peg relative to the other to the distance between alternate holes on a diagonal UNITED STATES PATENTS line. At the start of the game each player's pieces are assembled in the first two rows of holes along opposite 3 3:5 lckemf edges of the board. The objective of the game is for a 3 376 042 /1968 un 1" 273/130 R player to move his pieces, one peg at a time across the 9074 6/1922 Philo g a] "273/134 E board and to reassemble them similarly to the starting arrangement in the two rows of holes adjacent the op- FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS posite edge of the board- 583,l78 8/1933 Germany .;.273/l3l BA 1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDSEP26 I972 SHEET 10F 2.

()QQC) Q 0000 "Q @QGG Q @000 Q @000 Q @000 Q @000 Q Q QQ Q 0 mm 0 10/I HJYQZ Figl Fig.2

NNNNNN OR PATENTEDSEP26 m2 SHEET 2 [IF 2 is Q INVENTOR v Flack l PEG-BOARD GAME APPARATUS.

This invention relates to game apparatus employing a playing board having a pattern of holeszand players pieces each consisting of two pegs fitting the holes in the board and connected by a flexible inextensible link which limits the ambit or type of movement of individual pegs.

The game known as checkers is wellknown and generally familiar to past and present. generations. Many variations of this familiar game have been devised, some of which employ players pieces consisting of individual pegs fitting holes in a player board, and arranged in a predetermined geometric pattern. U.S. Pat. No. 2,187,808, issued Jan. 23, 1940 to G. S. Parker is illustrative of the peg-board type of game apparatus. A further variation of the basic peg-board type of game apparatus is described in French Pat. 1,045,456 issued June 24, 1953. The apparatus of the French patent employs a board having holes arranged in apredetermined geometric pattern, a plurality of pegs fixed in a selected few of the holes and players pieces consisting of a pair of washer-like pieces connected by a flexible link the length of which is a function of the minimum spacing of two pegs on the board. The game apparatus of the French patent is designed such that the washer-like pieces fit on the pegs, and permits one players piece to cover that of another player on the same peg to block movement thereof.

It is the object of this invention to provide game apparatus of the peg-board type in which the playerspieces consistof two pegs joined by a flexible inextensible link which serves to limit the ambit of movement of each individual peg and at the same time serves as a limitation on the type or manner of movement of individual pegs of any player.

The game apparatus constituting the present invention will be described more fully hereinafter in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view showing illustratively the general configuration of the board forming part of the novel game apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a view showing the details of the players piece;

FIG. 3 is a fragmental view showing an arrangement, called the series arrangement, of players pieces at the start of a game; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmental view showing another arrangement, called the parallel arrangement, of players pieces at the start of a game.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the game apparatus board 10, illustratively shown as square in configuration, is made in two parts, namely, an upper or face section 11 and a lower or base section 12. The upper section 11 has a plurality of rows of holes 13 extending therethrough. As shown, there are rows of holes, each row having ten holes therein. Thus, the holes are located at the intersection of imaginary lines forming a pattern of squares. Other geometric figures may be chosen if desired. The spacing between adjacent holes should be at least sufficient to permit readily grasping the players pieces inserted in the holes without interference by other pieces in adjacent holes. The two-piece construction of the board insures uniformity of depth of the holes, since the holes extend entirely through the upper section 11 and are closed at the bottom by the base section 12 which is suitably affixed, as by bonding, to the lower surface of the upper section. Any suitable material may be chosen for the boards, such as wood, plastic or metal.

Referring to FIG. 2, the players piece consists of two identical pegs l4 suitably joined at corresponding ends by a flexible inextensible link 15. The pegs 14 are cylindrical in shape and conform closely in diameter to that of the holes so as to enable a snug fit therein. The length of the pegs is such that the portion of the peg which projects above the face of the upper section 11, when the end of the peg is bottomed on the lower section 12, permits ease of grasping by the fingers of the player. If desired, the projecting upper portion of the pegs may be knurled or scored to provide some friction when grasped by the fingers of the player, for ease of removal of the pegs from the holes.

The pegs 14 may be made of the same material as the board 10 or of different material. A longitudinally extending hole drilled or otherwise formed in the pegs, provides for threading of the link 15 therethrough and for attachment to the pegs.

The link 15 may be made of flexible cord of woven strands of wire. The length of the link between the two pegs 14 is such that it limits the maximum ambit of movement of a peg, relative to its connected peg, to a multiple of the diagonal distance between two holes, for example a multiple of two, as shown in FIG. 1. As will be explained further hereinafter, link 15 also serves as a limitation to the manner or type of movement of the pegs of a players piece with respect to the piece of another player or another piece of the same player.

The embodiment of the board 10 shown in FIG. 1 is adapted for two players but it will be apparent that variations in size and shape of the board and the number of holes therein may be made to accommodate more than two players. In the case of the board illustrated, different arrangements of the players pieces may be employed at the start of a game. For example, the arrangement shown in FIG. 3, called the series type of arrangement, may be employed. Alternatively a different arrangement, called the parallel type of arrangement, as shown in FIG. 4, may be employed. In either case, the same starting arrangement is employed by both players for any one game.

The object of the game is for each player to maneuver his pieces, by alternate moves of players, from the starting arrangement, across the board to the opposite side occupied by the opponent player, the player who is the first to there arrange his pieces in the same manner as at the start being the winner. Each player moves only one peg of each piece at any one move. Other rules to be observed in playing the game are as follows:

a. Each peg may be moved only in one of four permissible directions, namely, forward, backward, to the right, and to the left.

b. When moved in a permissible direction, a peg must be inserted into a vacant hole immediately adjacent to the one from which the peg is removed.

c. A player may not move a peg to a new location in which the link between that peg and the peg to which it is linked, extends over any part of another piece, either his own or his opponents.

d. A player may not move a peg in a manner to leap over" any part of another piece, either his own or an opponents piece. A leap is a move in which a peg which is on one side of a players piece is passed over any part of it and then inserted in a hole located on the opposite side thereof.

e. A player may not move a peg in a manner to leap over the peg to which it is linked.

It will be seen that the first move of either player involves forward movement of a peg in the front row. Thereafter a peg from either the front or the rear row may be moved if there is'an adjacent vacant hole in one of the permissible directions of movement. It is desirable, of course, for each player to advance his pegs in a forward direction as much as possible to accomplish the end desired-Obstructive tactics may be resorted to for the purpose of inhibiting movement of an opponents piece, by resort to the aforesaid rules and (d) prohibiting extending over or leaping over an opponents piece.

While certain rules of the game have been mentioned, it should be understood that these are illustrative only and other rules or variations of rules may be adopted or resorted to.

What i claim is:

l. A game apparatus comprising a playing board and a plurality of playing pieces for each player for use with said board, said board having a rectangular configuration and circular holes therein located at the intersections of imaginary lines forming a pattern of squares, wherein the improvement comprises the provision of uniform playing pieces each consisting of two separate cylindrical pegs insertable in any of said holes and joined at corresponding ends by a flexible inextensible link, all of said links being of the same predetermined length, the predetermined length and the degree of flexibility of the said flexible link of each piece being such as to permit an ambit of movement of one peg relative to the other peg of the same piece to a distance therefrom which is a multiple of the diagonal distance between two holes in adjacent rows. 

1. A game apparatus comprising a playing board and a plurality of playing pieces for each player for use with said board, said board having a rectangular configuration and circular holes therein located at the intersections of imaginary lines forming a pattern of squares, wherein the improvement comprises the provision of uniform playing pieces each consisting of two separate cylindrical pegs insertable in any of said holes and joined at corresponding ends by a flexible inextensible link, all of said links being of the same predetermined length, the predetermined length and the degree of flexibility of the said flexible link of each piece being such as to permit an ambit of movement of one peg relative to the other peg of the same piece to a distance therefrom which is a multiple of the diagonal distance between two holes in adjacent rows. 